Frontier(s) (2007) 7/10

Frontier(s) is another French new wave gore flick and has been promoted as being the goriest. In fact it had a very limited theatrical run here in the U.S. and was rated NC-17 due solely to the gore content. The problem? Its not actually all that gory, or original for that matter.

Frontier(s) is about a group of bank robbers on the run after a recent score that finds themselves at an isolated inn out in the country. The trouble is the inn is run by a family of Nazi cannibals. Yup, Nazi Cannibals. Sounds like a plot straight from the 70's right?

As is becoming common in the land of mimes, the main character and hero of the film is a woman. Here in America heroines are usually played by completely irritating foul mouthed teenaged whiners. Not here. The heroine of this flick is actually believable, watchable, and entertaining. The family is picked off one by one by various members of the family, including a giant butcher. The whole film is one big Texas Chainsaw Massacre ripoff but the director makes no bones about it. In interviews he's owned up to the "homage" and admits lifting several elements from other more well known films. This lack of originality made me a bit less interested as the plot wears on. Personally I'm not a fan of remakes, homages, nostalgia, or blatant rip-offs. If i want to watch a 70s flick, I'll watch one. Having said that the film is beautifully shot on 35mm and has a fast paced plot, some good kill scenes, well cast foes, and a pretty good script. The gore content is certainly there but I felt let down after hearing about its rating. Sure its pretty damn grisly, but by no means is it the goriest french import we've seen so far.

In the end Frontier(s) lacks an original voice, and because of that it will probably be forgotten amidst more popular, and often better films. It's worth checking out as it does fit in nicely with Hostel, High Tension, and many other contemporary shock fests, it just doesn't stick out in the crowd very much.

Gore - medium/high

Nudity - mild

Overall - 7/10